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Polling Places Announced for Early Voting

Ballots to include proposals and referendums

Carla Arldt, Elections Administrator and Early Voting Clerk for Lee County, announced the polling places for early voting for the upcoming March 4 Primary Election. The actual dates for early voting will be Tuesday, February 18 through Friday, February 28, 2014. Voters who were already registered or who registered before February 3, 2014 will be able to vote early at the Lee County Clerk’s Office located at 843 E. Industry in Giddings. The Clerk’s office will be open for early voting at 8 each morning until 5 p.m., except on Tuesdays and Fridays, when it will remain open for early voting until 7 p.m.

Temporary Branch early voting polling places will also be set up at the Post Oak Community Center on Thursday, Feb. 20, from 6 to 7 p.m.; at Brookshire Bros. in Giddings on Sat., Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. until noon; at Dime Box Fire Station #1 on Mon., Feb. 24 from 6 to 7 p.m.; at Savannah Apartments in Lexington on Wed., Feb. 26 from 10 – 11 a.m.; at Blue Fire Station on Thur., Feb. 27 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.; and at Wilson Boyd Building, Precinct 3, in Lexington on Sat., Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. until noon and on Fri., Feb. 28 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Local candidates running in the Republican Primary will be Tim Kleinschmidt for State Representative, District 17; Steven Knobloch for County Commissioner, Precinct 4; Charles W. Murray for County Commissioner, Precinct 2; Richard A. “Rick” Reat and Don Milburn for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3; Victor Gonzales and Michael York for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2; and Steven M. Frick for County Chairman.

Local candidates running in the Democratic Party Primary will be Judge Paul Fischer for County Judge; Lisa Teinert for District Clerk; Sharon Blasig for County Clerk; Melinda “Lyndy” Krause for County Treasurer; Candace Cox Walch for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3; Danita W. Smith for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4; Troy D. Bise, Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2; and Kay Sweat for County Chairman.

The Republican Primary ballot will also include several proposals: 1. Religious Freedom: “Texans should be free to express their religious beliefs, including prayer, in public places”; 2. Second Amendment: “Texas should support Second Amendment liberties by expanding locations where concealed handgun license-holders may legally carry;” 3. Franchise Tax: “Texas should abolish the state franchise tax, also known as the margins tax to encourage business growth”; 4. Welfare Reform: “Texas recipients of taxpayer-funded public assistance should be subject to random drug testing as a condition of receiving benefits;” 4. No Lawmaker Exceptions: “All elected officials and their staff should be subject to the same laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances as their constituents;” and 5. Obamacare: “This Affordable Care Act, also known as ‘Obamacare’, should be repealed.”

The Democratic Party Primary ballot will include several referendums: 1. On Immigration Reform: “The United States Congress must pass immigration reform; including an earned path to citizenship for those individuals contributing to the economy and the dependents of those individuals;” 2. A Living Wage for All Texans: “Congress should pass legislation raising the federal minimum wage to at least 110% of the federal poverty level for a family of four without exception;” 3. Medicaid Expansion: “The Governor and the Texas Legislature should accept federal funds; as provided in the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act of 2010; for the expansion of Medicaid to provide coverage to millions of uninsured and underinsured Texans;” and 4. On Non-Discrimination Legislation: “The Congress and the Texas Legislature should adopt legislation that expands protections against discriminations in employment, housing, and public accommodations based upon sexual orientation and gender identity.”